Hotel San Francesco al Monte

Hotel San Francesco al Monte is a four-star hotel at Corso Vittorio Emanuele 328, on the hillside above Via Toledo in Naples, Campania, Italy. The property occupies a converted monastery, and the setting on the slope of the Vomero hill gives it some of the widest views over the Gulf of Naples available from any hotel in the city, taking in the bay and Mount Vesuvius. The historic origins show in the thick walls, the cloister-like layout and the calm that sets the hotel apart from the busy streets below. Corso Vittorio Emanuele is a long road that curves along the hillside, and the Spanish Quarter, Via Toledo, Piazza Plebiscito and the funicular lines that climb to the Vomero are reachable from here, although the gradient means the walk back up is steep. Room types include double rooms, superior rooms with a bay view and junior suites. Air conditioning and wifi are standard. The main amenity is a terrace swimming pool overlooking the bay, which is unusual for a city-centre hotel and especially welcome in summer. A restaurant and a bar complete the on-site facilities, and the terrace setting suits evening drinks and a sunset meal. Breakfast is served with a view and is regarded as one of the property's features. No spa is listed. Service is relaxed and leisure-oriented, and the staff can advise on funicular connections, taxis and sightseeing. Rates run from about 120 to 280 euros per night, with bay-view rooms and suites at the upper end. The hotel is well suited to couples and travellers who value atmosphere, views and a quiet retreat over being directly on the busy pedestrian streets. Visitors who prefer to walk everywhere should note the incline, and taxis or the nearby funicular are the usual way to return uphill in the evening.